Okay, this handheld might be "THE ONE"

[@RetroGameCorps]

Quick note: for faster boot time while using the "wait for network" RetroArch option, there is a setting in muOS to assign a static IP address to your device. This will require you to enter that address into your router's configuration but after that the boot time will be a lot faster, usually only a few seconds longer than normal.

[@blasphemous24]

7:30 actually, the game did have co-op...

[@TODAYWEARETALKINGABOUT]

I wanna ask but if i put a thermal pad between battery and cpu will it lessen on the heat and less risk between cpu and Battery?

[@oldgamedad]

My worst game experience of all time was when I was a kid and I traded in my copy of Earthbound towards a copy of Superman 64. I feel like the guy who sold his shares of Apple in 1976 for $800.

[@Willibeolder]

sold mine (Earthbound) for $75...I'm so sad

[@jinstinky501]

Omg, superman 64. I also traded in a game for that crap. Cheers.

[@user-qy2wf2lt6v]

@@oldgamedad ouch ...

[@cappnplanetcappnplanet3237]

Ah, sold Donkey Kong Country 2 to buy Super Mario RPG at Toys R Us and ended up buying back the game many years later. Regret every time I sell a game.

[@pixelpuppy]

wow. F for my fallen retrobro

[@kwyxz]

Loving muOS and I just wanted to mention that at 16:10 Russ talks about the "Wait for network" boot option and yes it adds a bunch of time when DHCP is being used. However, you can reserve an IP address for the SP on your router and set it to fixed in the muOS settings and it will take only a handful more seconds to boot. Just a little tip :)

[@malcolmbranch10]

This and the Miyoo Mini + are just so absolutely mind bogglingly addictive to play with it's amazing. Thanks for all you do!

[@luigiardingo]

Couldn’t agree with you more. I’m loving my Miyoo Mini Plus and addicted to Sensible Soccer on the Amiga

[@johnnybiboni]

Mate, I'm just choosing one of these devices as the first one. What do you recommend?

[@deelarso3766]

@@johnnybiboni I have a MM+ and love it but the XXSP is probably the better device for most people. I haven't held one but the ergonomics look nicer unless you have small hands

[@kayonji]

I'd go with RG ​@@johnnybiboni. The Miyoo Mini Is gorgeous and very well built, but it's not a comfortable device for more than a few minutes of gaming. It's way too small and your fingers will remain crossed on the back as if you were holding a phone.I bought a MM+ and returned it the following day because of it.

[@ToyKeeper]

@@johnnybiboni I went with a Miyoo because its buttons are _much_ softer to press. Anbernic has much more powerful hardware, and more features in software, but the buttons are just so stiff it makes my thumbs hurt.

[@spidercolt]

This is “the one” for me. Nostalgic form factor, great for GBA, good CFW, retro achievements, etc. I grew up with the GBA SP and this whole device just hits what I am looking for with these. Playing Pokémon emerald on this device I feel like a kid again.

[@MajinObama]

The Golden Days

[@rcarlom9882]

the fact that Stock OS is fine on its own apart from Games Room just makes it a device u can gift to friends. Less stuff to tinker for them.

[@hatodikfülöp]

what about is gb/gba emulation...? i had terrible experience with anbernic devices.

[@nathew4152]

How does it do retroachievements though? Since if you're offline you won't be able to :(

[@spidercolt]

@@nathew4152 if you are online it works fine and actually if you start a game online it registers the achievements and you can still earn achievements on the game offline as long as you don’t close it. When you reconnect online it will resync up

[@Shinpoke030]

After so many hours of setting up my odin2, ally, analogue pocket… yep! This sp is the device followed me everywhere, the overall experience is just phenomenal, it’s cheap so you don’t need to worry if it slipped out of your hands, it has a clamshell so no need to have a case for it, and it just fits in your pocket perfectly! I totally agree everything you said besides the clicky buttons😂

[@ChalcoAPRN]

That’s good to know. This video plus this comment influenced me to order one off of aliexpress. I have a multitude of other devices but the form factor here really appears to make it a home run for on the go gaming.

[@picardsfish18]

Looking for Anbernic to make a RG40XX SP. I want a bigger screen.

[@Shinpoke030]

@@ChalcoAPRN good timing, they just did a firmware update 1.0.6, I haven’t done it yet but the release note said now you can actually use the sleep mode without having to drain your battery significantly fast, I’m still on the stock retroarch and currently set closing the lid as turn off, it takes about 20 secs to turn back on but it saves your progress and take you back to the game so I’m satisfied but if I don’t need to wait that long anymore is this definitely a big plus

[@FS-zt6tm]

@@picardsfish18 I'd rather have an rg28xx sp for a more pocketable device

[@silentrocco]

I own an Analogue Pocket, but no software emulation handheld. How big is the input lag difference, if noticable at all, compared to the Pocket?

[@arkemreeves7404]

The ONE.....until the next one....😅

[@user-qy2wf2lt6v]

That's what my sister says!

[@derekgonsoulin116]

at 50,000 sold, the next one will look a lot like this one.

[@chasenhorizons]

Right? It really does feel like this for Miyoo, Anbernic, Powkiddy, etc. They bombard the market with options, and I mean -- it must be working?

[@virtualspace4882]

To me it's not the NEXT one. It's ANOTHER one. (Please don't reference a certain stupid dj here. I hate that) I never had a gba growing up, and never had the chance to play my friend's. I actually had planned to buy an ags-101 gba sp and a flash cart for a few years now. And when i bought the steam deck, i thought that plan was off until i saw this amazing device. It really helps me that where I'm at, the refurb gba sp is actually more expensive than the rg35xxsp 😂 So yeah, i bought it just tonplay gba games. And i game all other retro and modern games on my deck. But if there's ANOTHER device in the future that will scratch my itch for other systems that I'm aiming for, I'm open for it. If it's just gba, no thanks

[@mrp1zz492]

It wont be easy to beat the 35sp the size is as small as it can be realistically with just enought performance at the best price. It will take a lot of innovation to make something that fills the shoes of this console.

[@Figureight]

I recently picked up an SP. Have been playing mostly PS1 games. Already played through Gran Turismo 2 (including endurance races) and THPS2 without any issues, currently playing through Portmaster version of GTA 3, Crash 2 and Toy Story 2 on the PS1, and Jazz Jackrabbit on MS DOS. Only issue I've run into is lack of analog stick buttons meaning I have to remap horn / side mission buttons on GTA 3 when needed as not enough buttons. I really don't understand the comments I hear about how warm these get. It's barely noticeable and is only marginally over that of the heat of my hands when holding it. I kept hearing about these getting warm and was baffled to not find the temperature to be at all noteworthy.

[@washuai]

@@Figureight there a lot of variables unknown about your situation and the warm ones. Ambient temp, charging, actual temperatures, sensitivity, play time, sunlight, grip styles, sweaty gamer, etc. An inside player is going to have a different experience from the leaves sitting in a hot vehicle, walking etc as will players of varying distance from the equator. I think with the reports of failed units, people are more sensitive to heat. Think about all the hot complaints when someone gets a new phone, more information is needed and is usually all those prolonged writes of all the data that has to be restored. Only, one expects the phones are made to weather heat better than you. Where as these fast and cheap handhelds, you've no idea what part might fail nor at which temperature. Different units will have different tolerances, due to the low QC. Best case scenario, hotter does mean batteries degenerate faster. Russ (RGC) lives in Hawaii (warm and possibly humid on top of that) and he talks about the temperature relative to the other devices. Plus, you can just look at the surface area, open space etc to make the hypothesis that the Hs might run cooler than the SP, relatively. Not really surprising to hear his experience aligns with that. Sometimes the last thing you want is warmer, no matter how mild the difference it is, it's so hot you're already at the limit. A handheld trying to dissipate heat into your hands trying to disipate your heat, will result in a warmer feeling easily. Sometimes is so hot more heat goes unnoticed of its not increasing. Others, you're almost cool to the touch, while others are sweating bullets;

[@turbochargedfilms]

THE ONE is the one you already have.

[@gunmadonuts]

Well I already had a dingoo a-320 from a decade ago, and that thing was most definitely not THE ONE. :P

[@hdtube7]

It’s always the one you don’t have, you mean haha

[@BrandonWilliams-wf6hg]

The grass is always greenest where you water it

[@da3726]

Obviously you’re not married

[@UkeofCarl]

Nah! But yeah, you’re correct.

[@juetroll]

A bit off topic, but since you mentioned MegaMan WilyWars for the Genesis, I have a story about it: I actually owned a physical copy, when I was a teenager and had a Megadrive (EU, as I am French). And I grew older, moved from my parents', let my old MD alone and... needed some money. So I started selling my MD and all my games. Believe it or not, but this was a time when you could buy MD games for a couple of euros, and could not expect selling them at a higher price. So, I sold almost all my games for 2-3€, and I was not expecting to sell MegaMan for higher than that... Except that someone was ready to buy it for 200€ on ebay, and they did! Almost 4 times the price I bought it in the first place (and a fortune for me, back then) 😮

[@andys_gameroom]

For me, it's the custom firmware choices that make this line fun. You can customize them to your heart's content, taking advantage of the custom firmware choices to do so. I love to tinker and I keep multiple firmware cards for each device, going back and forth to tweak, play, etc. That's a big part of the fun for me. For example, I use MuOS for my RG28XX, Knulli for my RG35XX-H and Plus, mainly, but go back and forth on them when new releases introduce new features. I SO want to get an SP next. Your videos are tops,. Russ. Thank you for sharing your talents with us.

[@firepowr]

This is my new favorite channel. I've been out of the retro gaming scene for about 10 years.

[@Theo_m64]

Finally you had to acknowledge how much better muos is over knulli. When I switched from knulli to muos on my rg35xx h I fell in love with the device all over again

[@olioctane]

My issue with MuOS is having to manually add all the box art for your games. That’s so time consuming!

[@Theo_m64]

@@olioctane yeah I agree, even if you're using skraper you have to do each system individually but for me it was worth the trade off, but I am really hoping they add bluetooth support soon

[@Bob_Smith19]

@@olioctaneCan’t you just add your current collection. Mine was scraped a long time ago and I simply copy it over. I may have to edit the Gameslist file depending on folder naming. But that takes five seconds w/ Notepad++. I can’t imagine having to scrape everything anytime you get a new device.

[@swalker_7]

Same!

[@DrNate86]

You can, I just used the box art that came with the Done Set personally​@@Bob_Smith19

[@ryanbartlett672]

Thanks, Russ. You and TechDweeb are the gold standards for Retro Gaming coverage -- and though I'm here for the gaming, you do it so well, you should teach classes on how to write and perform videos. You have me pumped for this handheld -- concerned about the small screen and cramped controls BUT like you, I rarely play anything for more than 20 minutes straight. Special note on the honesty and calling out biases -- key to survival of (or at least me watching) KZbin. VladNerd has been doing really well on that front too. Lastly, you nailed the JiffyLube analogy!

[@amigacompilations1599]

I'm having a similar revelation to you with MuOS on the rg28xx. Of special further note is the speed at which you can switch between games. It's like an supercharged experience to how I used to play on my Amiga in the 90s as a kid. I'd sit down and stack five or six floppy disks on top of eachother, then play each game for about 10 minutes before switching to the next. Only now with the auto save and load feature it allows me to jump from game to game almost instantly, chipping away at progress on them all bit by bit, rather than starting from the beginning each time like the old days. Coupled with the ability to turn it off almost instantly, and drop straight back in once turning it back on... it's been fantastic!

[@semidreamless]

I *am* one of the people with a RG35XXSP! I bought it pretty much spur of the moment (I'd been playing original Zelda on my phone with Delta and decided very quickly that I needed real buttons) because it was cheap enough that I just could. I've had it for less than a week and haven't used it too heavily, mostly because I'm planning to install muOS and I won't have the time to sit down and get it set up properly until Wednesday, but I already love it so far, mostly for the shape, portability, and even the clicky buttons

[@PhyrexTechs]

Like you, the SP has been my go-to device recently. After I made a few videos on muOS and the SP, I took the time to get it set up just right, and it has been great. It's a sign that a device is a good fit for me when I spend more time playing games on it than I initially spent setting it up. I'm also glad muOS is getting the recognition it deserves. The developers have put in a lot of work to get it to its current state.

[@okayman81]

When someone asks me if I want to watch a 25 min RGC video on a Sunday morning (in 🇧🇷) I have to say "yeah man, I wanna do it"

[@hvenses1]

Tmj kkkkk

[@X862go]

SAME

[@just_ugu]

Bom demais

[@L3tThereBeGames]

That's definitely a valid reply but usually you don't reply with anything, it's just something you are supposed to do and you shouldn't have to explain yourself.

[@Hdio99]

for me man is a not always!!!, but when it is like this one, I like the guy, the way we put out things...its a military guy so dry where it has to be and very trustable opinion

[@ejcash9193]

Just bought this device halfway through this review... Thanks!

[@mattt4374]

Russ, I have to say I like these type of videos way more than the other. To be honest, whenever a new device comes out every retro handheld, channel is reviewing it. One day you might get 10 reviews of the same powkiddy device. I understand it’s part of the business. But the videos which show some of your personal preference are the ones that are the most interesting

[@fermio100]

IDK if this is THE one, but for now it's the one for me. I'm absolutely in love with mine. Everything, from the form to the clickiness of the buttons. Even the extra thickness is an improvement over the originas SP, making it more comfortable to handle.

[@David-ck2dc]

I ordered one just hope the battery doesn't become an issue

[@Rafa-Silva-Alt]

Something about that form factor... It's just unbeatable. Retro aesthetics also might help a bit in nostalgia, but I would love to see how a 2024 SP version might look. We definitely need more clamshell form-factor portables.

[@Decoy_Shark]

About 100 hours of playtime in, and the RG35XXSP is my go-to device now for gaming on the go. I feel like a child again every time I pick it up.

[@Kodiak-1984]

If I order my handheld without SD card, will it have games?

[@IlmeriaVonLeinweber]

​@@Kodiak-1984 No. Games are saved on the Micro SD card.

[@Kodiak-1984]

@@IlmeriaVonLeinweber thanks

[@twoislands91]

So the price and the form factor is what did it for me, i just got mine a couple of days ago. The transparent blue is great! Happy to say that the buttons are quiet without the tape mod (only clicky/"loud" ones are start and select which i think is a good thing) and there is minimal rattling, which i wouldn't have noticed if i wasn't checking for it, only in the R2 and L2 buttons, so there are certainly been some revisions/fixes in the past couple of months! It doesn't get that warm, although with SNES mostly haven't tested everything. Battery life and performance are great. For 64 euros with the case and second sd card i'm really happy with my purchase! Thank you very much for the suggestion!

[@NonameNoname-tr8uv]

When he said he was “13 in 1993”, my jaw dropped. I thought he was in his thirties.

[@DriveCancelDC]

Yeah, I appreciate that unlike some people in their 40s he doesn't constantly call himself old or ancient, that stuff gets so annoying to hear it's just needlessly negative. I'm in my 30s and get so tired of people who call themselves old so prematurely.

[@leonewton253]

He said he bought it in Tacoma. I live there!

[@Pedaissance]

​@@DriveCancelDCdude same. I watch some guy's videos on KZbin, he's 48 and every video he mentions how "old" is he.. talks like he's 80 🤦‍♂️

[@rambledogs2012]

@@DriveCancelDC As a just turned 50 year old, I understand why folk will say they ancient. I feel old, more so in the body than mind (still feel I'm 21 mind wise) but when you realise that you may have 20 or 30 years to go before departing the mortal coil, you realise how short life can be. Creaky joints, wrinkles, getting up in the middle of the night to pee, that sort of thing. When I was in my 30's I felt the same as you, but once you hit that milestone you realise all of a sudden, shit..........lol. So don't have a pop at those calling themselves old. We feel it despite not wanting to.

[@seadx6]

Russ I like your subjective videos, do not try to skip them 😀

[@nefariou5]

those are his most common videos?

[@mcgritty8842]

Most of his videos are advertisements

[@Micchi-]

POWKIDDY! RELEASE AN UPDATED POWKIDDY V90! AND MY LIFE IS YOURS!

[@cdkw8254]

Me too

[@christosstamos2785]

As long as the new one has a functional d-pad. I've never used such a useless d-pad as the one on my original v90.

[@Stopalkec]

ZEUSSSSS

[@digitizer3627]

Pooooooowkiddy!!❤

[@premrockon]

Lol, powkiddy. Whish you good luck, that'll be better than the anbernic one

[@ElCubanoBlanco-s5u]

Russ your timing is impeccable. I havent messed with my sp in a while waiting for the cfw to catch up and just started on it again yesterday and here this video is.

[@willitine]

This is like a modern gbaSP2 in a way; especially with the headphone jack, more buttons and digital games, which the original sp didn’t have. Anyhoo I agree this is the one! Can’t go wrong with the 4:3 aspect ratio, sleep functions, clamshell design and etc. It’s a phenomenally awesome portable handheld with great features.

[@omegamanGXE]

gbaSP 2: Electric Boogaloo

[@Metry21]

Fell in love the first time I saw it, bought one right away and 2 weeks later bought another one for my gf. Been enjoying it since then, and muOs is just perfect.

[@Didymuss1]

Russ' story arc of gradually turning into a fellow clamshell supremecist.

[@jameseffinger6604]

Totally agree with everything said in this video! MuOS really made a huge difference and this has easily become my daily go to device.

[@One.AutumnLeaf]

I'm ready to buy another one of these when they bring out some new colors!

[@Augrills]

They sent me an email this week. Red, green, and clear plastic shells added

[@everettrantanen1732]

Another Great and informative video Russ. You're the number one go to for any Handheld Consoles...Love the guide they are very helpful!!!

[@KonnorwithaKay]

The RG405M with custom UI is still my daily driver! The SP looks cool but I havent found a reason to play anything other than my 405M.

[@arty8478]

Just curious what UI are you using on your 405M?

[@timkilian7140]

The 405M is also my daily driver

[@HighTher3]

I love my 351v so much and Russ put out a few videos about it and much of the features. Perfection as a in bed or around the house kind of device. At first I was attracted to this SP but I thought "Meh, I already have a device." After seeing all the power settings, especially the close/sleep/eventual shut down option. I am paralyzed and have a small bag on my wheelchair and this XXSP is going to be my go everywhere console. I can't wait until I get mine in the mail. I love this channel. Russ puts out quality videos every time. Even though I now own 2 consoles I still watch just to see the newest advancements. You're the man, Russ!

[@DrySushi]

Confused by the X-Men Genisis wasnt coop comment, it absolutely has multiplayer. It's one of the first Genesis games I beat with my brother as a kid

[@dan1the8man2]

You're thinking of X-Men 2: Clone Wars. That was 2-player.

[@DrySushi]

@@dan1the8man2 I'm not mistaken, the first X-Men on Genesis is a 2player game. 100%

[@siskalania]

The first one is Co-op. The second one also a Co-op and much better than the first.

[@omegamanGXE]

@@dan1the8man2X-Men 2: Electric Boogaloo

[@dojayssauri28]

I have the translucent black model, which took a fall from about a meter high. The screen was damaged, so I opened it up and reseated the flex cable, but it still didn't work-I thought it was a lost cause. In a last-ditch effort, I tossed it onto my mousepad, and somehow that did the trick! I have to say, this little device is surprisingly resilient

[@Kirby5588]

I had no idea you were in your 40s. Was under the impression you were in your 30s like me lol This video is making me really want the SP. I still have my og one in the closet

[@leozar69]

For the paint wearing off, you can always just patch it up. In the Walmart near here, there a place that matches colors. I just choose the same color of my Anbernic SP, I choose the smallest bottle, and it always look new. 👍 I also put the screen protector on mine. It came with it, so why not. Anything that plays with analogue stick, I play it on my Steam Deck. Anything D-Pad, I play on my Anbernic SP. Another thing to keep in mind, for charging, you wanna use a slow charging power brick. I got mine at a dollar store. Works for me so far. That's something I learned through other videos before buying mine.

[@jimmythumbtack]

We just need that retroid flip 2 and we're set for life ;_;

[@RetroGameCorps]

I do hope they revisit it sometime!

[@omegamanGXE]

Retroid Flip 2: Electric Boogaloo

[@jimmythumbtack]

Like most living organisms eventually evolve into crabs, handheld devices are just bound to turn into clams... and a PS2 capable clamshell is peak evolution.

[@wakjagner]

I'd been holding out for a Flip 2 to get announced, but finally caved and went after this SP (my V90 is showing its age).... Course that means the Flip 2 announcement is just a few days away I bet. 😅

[@jimmythumbtack]

@@wakjagner I've been doing the same. Still holding just to ride off your handheld acquisition karma lmao.

[@jamesrascal001]

This is the video that sealed the deal! Thanks! can't wait for it to arrive now.

[@NipplesOfDestiny]

You -should- *NEED TO* revisit the Miyoo A30 with Spruce OS

[@iowamv]

Agreed. And toss in coverage of MinUI. The A30 is far less chunky and more pocket friendly.

[@juanb7527]

Well Russ, you did it again and sold me on this rg35sp! That thing is so cool, I'm getting one!

[@BaoZakeruga]

I adore mine so far. Also you were 13 back in 93? Damn you look great for your age. Would've guessed you were in your mid 20s.

[@omegamanGXE]

Thought he was in his mid 30s at the most

[@DriveCancelDC]

He looks good but tbh most people in their 40s do unless they give up and just let themselves go, there's a lot of people who just start calling themselves old once they are in their 30s and 40s (which is cringe to me) and they don't care to exercise or take care of themselves as much and just use their age as some sort of excuse for looking worse than they used to. I remember being in a Discord with a guy who was saying "It hurts to get up from the floor, damn being in my 30s!" and then later he said he's 400+ lbs... Dude, it doesn't hurt because you're in your 30s, it hurts because you're morbidly obese.

[@omegamanGXE]

@@DriveCancelDC 420 lbs is peak human performance

[@artemisfowl577]

I feel like this product is what ive been waiting on the market to produce. The v90 was close, but this is it

[@jesseseehawer5840]

You're 44?!!

[@omegamanGXE]

moar liek 69

[@arpandey7043]

He looks so young

[@WillC1020]

I have both the RG35XX H and SP models and there’s just something about these that they get right. For the H I would play more N64 and Dreamcast titles along with ports to take advantage of the joysticks. For the SP I usually play a lot of PSX and below consoles. The warmth of the device is not too bad. I know that using the two interchangeably will extend its life span but if not the battery can be replaced over years and probably costs a few bucks. MUOS hands down is my favorite CFW. It does take a little bit more tinkering but there’s plenty of videos out there that do a good job with guiding people through the process and it’s not a long process.

[@Eragonfrost]

For the price it is THE ONE

[@wizzel22]

KZbinrs always seem to live next door to China. These prices are nonsense for those living in Europe. The SP is €99, not $55, like in the US.

[@AiresLA]

​@@wizzel22I paid 60€ for mine ordering to Portugal from Geekbuying.

[@washuai]

​@@wizzel22 well, it'd be cheaper in EU if there wasn't VAT (also Middle Eastern issues affecting the trade routes). That's a lot of governments for Europeans to change 🤷‍♀️

[@wizzel22]

@@washuai That's correct, but one could mention that the prices are way different arcoss the globe and not only mention the lowest price in $US. Just show the Price in € next to it. We are 440 Million.

[@thanoskelevra1384]

@@wizzel22 I bought the SP yesterday for 65 euros and the A30 for 33 euros from Aliexpress. Also, LITNXT has pretty close to that prices.

[@everycloud3388]

I love mine! I love taking mine on journeys and having people ask about it, rare, but it does happen. I still cannot get over the fact that today we have all these fantastic games for all these retro consoles on pocketable devices all squeezed on to a card that is smaller than a penny... and people still complain. lol. We really are living in the future! My 13 year old mind would be blown!

[@professorpsych]

POWER SWITCH > POWER BUTTON. You’re so close to specifically identifying the feature which makes our classic handhelds better than our emulator devices. Holding power buttons is the bane of my very privileged existence.

[@reichstein011]

A power switch is more complicated to implement. Due to the way the software on these devices functions, they need to do a proper software shutdown, rather than simply cutting power. They could do a switch, but a button is easier.

[@GleyRiviery]

I had this same opinion in the RetroFW/MiyooCFW era, when we have to power off the system via software and then deal with the hardware button, but today I really don't mind power switches since we have a good sleep mode; in fact maybe I prefer the current way.

[@AdelineCaleria]

It’s one of my favorite features on the TrimUI Smart (no idea if the Pro has one too)

[@Patrick-bn5rp]

Lol no. I see people complain about accidentally triggering their power switches in their pocket when it comes to the powkiddy V90. Mechanical power switches are not good for devices you put into sleep mode.

[@umamifan]

Idk I didn't like power switches as much as power buttons. Switches were more prone to getting jammed, and if you hit it by mistake it just insta shuts down the device which is no bueno when it comes to progress in games.

[@MisticStyles]

Ergonomics and performance are equally the most important thing for me. The game boy advance SP form factor is too cramped and uncomfortable and doesn't encourage me to use it. It collects dust. The Anbernic rg405m has been incredible and the draw I have to it feels like the same draw I have toward my iphone. It's that good.

[@colinmartin9797]

I keep backing out when i have it in my cart. Problem is that my miyoo mini plus is just so good. Sakura galaxy buttons, a getbetterbuttons precision CNC aluminum d pad, and my pokemon rescue dungeon theme just... work so well. The only real thing the sp does is the form factor for me, and i still like the miyoo so much especially with a matching 3d printed grip case, that i can't justify it.

[@jolzs298]

Anbernic definitely created a gem with this one, i'll def be picking up one very soon!

[@haroentmimi]

The RG35XX SP does have one MASSIVE flaw, which is the battery positioning. It's right above the CPU, and thus acting as a heatsink for the CPU. The CPU warming up the battery and the battery warming up the entire device. If this problem is fixed, the SP will be the best budget handheld on the market.

[@lhagwha]

W8 for Rg35XX SP plus

[@Y4N970U]

@@lhagwha Im new to these handhelds, is this plus version coming out soon? Looking to get my first one, deciding between this and the Miyoo Mini +

[@user-qy2wf2lt6v]

​@@Y4N970U No rumours of a new one, I'm afraid.

[@rickyrns1059]

Two things about that. 1: That’s the same “flaw” with all the current H700 devices besides the Plus and the 40XX. It’s not a flaw unique to the SP. 2: What actually is unique about the SP in regard to that “flaw”, is that you literally can’t fit the battery anywhere else without drastically increasing the size of the device. There’s nowhere near enough space to just put it somewhere else, whatever they could do would involve either stretching the device to put it next to the cpu instead of above it, or it would involve making the device thicker just for the sake of making a bigger air gap than what it already has (since it’s not “right on top” of the CPU, it does have a decent air gap between them, enough that I really wouldn’t call it a “heatsink” since it’s just radiated heat).

[@rickyrns1059]

Plus, gonna be honest here, it really doesn’t get that hot, at least not enough for me to be bothered. At most I’d say it’s a fair bit warm when I play it long enough, but not enough where I’d call it hot.

[@InverseLogic89]

Thank you Russ! This is such a great video. Thank you for the links to your awesome guides too!

[@UMvsC3DPFWPW]

I’m not gonna lie this is the Ideal Handheld that does bring back Nostalgia and also might be the only product from Anbernic to Buy.

[@greenprotag]

Got an SP, recently flashed MuOS, Now playing SpaceCadet3Dpinball, SkiiFree, and my favorite Nintendo classics ALL side by side. it's pretty awesome.

[@alexdcpe]

I'm probably in a very specific minority but I feel like 3.5" is too big. To me, still nothing beats the og miyoo mini to this day, tiny and portable and 2.8" with that incredible pixel density makes games look sooooo good. I feel like once I experienced how good they look at that size it completely ruined 3.5" 480p devices for me. A clamshell with a 2.8" screen with 480p resolution would be incredible (or better yet, the 750p or whatever of the v4 mini)

[@markianclark9645]

Alex...I joined the mini screen camping team too..a year or 2 ago I was also.."I wouldn't go under a 3inch screen too small" then I got a chance buy of the Pocket Go for cheap..it's lived in my pocket since..it's even smaller than 2.8 inch..I think it might be 2.4 or 2.5 i dunno about pixel densities but its sharp graphics..not tried any Miyoo minis so i can't compare

[@Seanbo88]

I'm with you, Russ, this one seems great. The form factor alone is perfect for retro games and pick up n play-ability.

[@CaesarRoyale]

As an adult who no longer has hands the size of a 6 year old like when I got my SP back in the day, I think the larger size of this would be if anything a positive rather than a negative

[@mcgritty8842]

100% agree. This is “the one” for a child

[@seraaron]

I've been following you for years and this is the only handheld you've reviewed that i've ever bought (exculding the steam deck, which i preordered before you mentioned). So i think that says a lot! It's a really impressive little emulator, and the form factor is just perfect. The original gameboy advance SP was a perfect design, and anbernic basically couldn't improve on it!

[@MidnightEnigma1515]

Damn... I just learnt that Russ is a human being. There I was walking the streets of London thinking he was a retro God 🤣

[@3up3rn0va]

Thanks again for the guides you’re a legend!

[@Deathscythe91]

the motherboard design is horrible if you live in a warm country like me and you want to use it on a train ride .....DONT my battery started to balloon up after barely a month of use and it f'ed up my device i think playing psp games was the downfall for my device i noticed that the cpu will easily hit 90c and when you are using a battery as a heatsink for the cpu....things can go wrong...

[@Pridetoons]

Russ lives in Hawaii so what's your excuse? Do you live in Saudi Arabia, Africa, or maybe India, Thailand, or Indonesia? I'm literally more curious than skeptical.

[@xxxent]

have you contacted them? ask for a refund

[@malcolmbranch10]

It's been ~95 degrees here in the eastern US and I shove that thing in my too small pocket and do work outside. I probably shouldn't but so far so good.

[@rickyrns1059]

@@Pridetoons Assuming OP is being 100% honest about the conditions (I dislike having to doubt stuff like this, but there’s been too many moments where people just reposted the same images and pretended it was new for me to have absolutely zero doubt): There could either be an issue with the battery itself, or an issue with a faulty/bad component. The H700 doesn’t radiate enough heat to be able to cause that kind of issue, and latent heat from the environment wouldn’t add to it unless you’re in extreme enough circumstances.

[@rickyrns1059]

Keep in mind Deathscythe, this is not me claiming your problem isn’t bad. Quite the opposite, if that did happen with your device, you have even more of a good reason to return it to Anbernic for a replacement or refund. That is very unlikely to be a situation that is inevitable in your environment, and therefore would be a problem with your specific device that you should send it back for.

[@johnkottis]

I was in love with my Anbernic 280V, but the RG35XXSP shell form factor allowed me to carry it without needing a case, making it the ideal device. As Wulfden says, the ideal handheld is the one you always have with you. I would love the 280V even more if it had an ultra-thin screen cover for pocketability and a brighter screen. As it stands, the RG280V moved down to the second position on my list.

[@zu_perler3011]

"Why is my muOS video from a few months ago getting a bunch of views today?" Ohhhhh... Now I get it 😂

[@SWPLGAMING]

I can't lie, I love the dome switch on this thing. I'm not one of the tinker or update os guys, that being said even with the stock os,it's still a great fitting handheld.🔥🔥 Awesome video.

[@Curryking32000]

The deal breaker for me are the clicky buttons.

[@jasonshiers5771]

I like the clicks when i'm pressing the buttons it's unique !

[@Rickynovantotto]

i have the device and honestly? People REALLY are stressing over nothing, yes there is a click but honestly it's nothing annoying

[@amazingbetagamer2902]

This can be fixed. Watch his earlier videos.

[@tappersreviews4677]

Same for me. I currently have a Miyoo A30 which has excellent and very quiet controls, so I’m hoping Miyoo comes thru with their clamshell.

[@MarcusIIFerreira]

Leave it, man. When these people got a partner, they will understand the problem with click buttons in bed time.

[@pappabear3987]

Just bought my 3rd one. Will be a present for my younger brother. We share our SNES collection. It took me too many years but I finally beat Lufia 2. I never have enough time to play any games at home. This clamshell lets me beat them now.

[@polocatfan]

"Don't charge while you're asleep or it'll burn your house down." Yeaaaaah that's a major red flag. It's 2024, charging has been fixed by this point by every company 💀. if a company still doesn't understand how capacitors work then they aren't worth supporting lmaooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

[@bradythestrak]

This is the only one I have and I love it! Tempted to buy another, but yeah, the SP is fantastic. Thanks Russ!

[@googaboogaloo]

I wish the hinges weren’t cracking and the batteries weren’t having issues because I would get one.

[@anthonyjohnsonvideo]

IMO the videos where you share your personal opinions and favorites are the best. Don't minimize them!

[@Ashore88888]

Mine arrived today and won't charge or turn on. First and last time I buy cheap Chinese shit.

[@piensluc7444]

Nothing better a sunday evening watching Russ great video's.......

[@arturobuenrostro6404]

Some people has reported broken hinges for that retro console.

[@mephistophelesknivez]

retro corps, joeys retro, taki udon, etc, they don't care about quality control, they only talk about the good stuff because they get their units for free. every popular youtubers are so bias on this Chinese handhelds

[@randomname_tqrk]

@@mephistophelesknivez that's blatantly false, they talk about flaws about each device they review. I KNOW for a fact RGC does, especially with the ones that get a follow-up "a few weeks later" video where he talks about how his opinions have changed (if at all).

[@godminnette2]

There have been broken hinges on every Nintendo clamshell, too. QC of these style of hinges is hard. This device is a lot cheaper than those, though.

[@lordknightalex]

i love clamshell consoles, to me its the best kind of design for any handheld device, i love the drama factor of being able to snap smth closed and that it keeps the screen protected, so when i looked into handhelds a bit over a year ago i went with a powkiddyV90 due to it being affordable and looking close enough to the GBAsp of my childhood. nowadays i would def have saved up a tad more for a RG35XXSP, it looks so wonderful

[@MRCollier1982]

Hinge being a possible failure point, and the fact that the ability to fold only makes it thicker and serves no purpose other than nostalgia I just don’t see why this one is any better than any other XX model which all have the same software and feature options

[@ohnoitsmatt]

Being able to close it and protect the screen without having a second case is the biggest perk of having a foldable screen.

[@thecyberquake618]

Clamshell protects the screen and buttons without a case, and allows more screen and controls space in 2 dimensions when open by sacrificing being thin in the third.

[@nugylicious9872]

just mention it one time because I really like to hear what your Favorite is. Most people only get one so they rely on you for whats "best". Dont change a thing youre the best. All retro Handheld channels are.

[@davidnonsuch4981]

doesnt it catch fire when charging? i wouldnt be so bold and recommend it

[@bmxw8713]

out of all the sales, it happened once

[@davidnonsuch4981]

@@bmxw8713 Naaaah dude, like 5 or 6 times and that was only the ones that actually talked about it online.

[@notime2d8]

​@@bmxw8713 I really wonder why it keeps coming up when it was just one guy who posted everywhere multiple times. Now every video someone mentions it. 🧐

[@stenciljunkie]

It was a miyoo plant lol

[@jumbledb0798]

He covers this in the video. Did you even watch it?

[@hatchxable]

For me the ONE is the RG40XXH. That 4 inch screen is great for 4:3, even 16:9 like PSP looks as good as a PSPGO. For nostalgia I use the Miyoo A30 as it reminds me of the GB Micro.

[@mephistophelesknivez]

retro game corps, joeys retro, taki udon, etc, they don't care about quality control, they only talk about the good stuff because they get their units for free. every popular youtubers are so bias on this Chinese handhelds

[@Kurmblog]

The SP has been my first hand held and i am in love with it, currently replaying all pokemons from gen 1 (doing a bit of pkhex tweaking to get my ideal fav team from the start haha) and it is a walk down memory lane, so enjoyable, its always with me on my back pack and my 14year old self would have been over the moon on the thought of playing tekken 3 and Zelda OOT on a device that literally fits in my pocket

[@cme9241]

How can anyone play a game on this device unless you're a child

[@ElliotButch23]

I am a 6'3" man with large hands and i play it just fine

[@tappersreviews4677]

Entire generations of adults and teens played handheld games on devices as small or smaller with no problems. Like the GBA and SP, not to mention the Micro.

[@cme9241]

@@ElliotButch23 tremendous but I just don’t like small screens and I like a device that plays everything up to PlayStation 3

[@FewCan456]

My mom used to play solitaire all the time on her old GPA SP. You'd be surprised

[@itssomeoneelse]

@@cme9241 So everyone has to "don't like" it like you?

[@dragon2knight]

It's been my "One" since I got it in....and I have no intention of using a different OS either, the stock one works just fine for me. I charge it off my computer while I'm working to minimize overcharging and any fire hazards, but to be honest mine doesn't get hot whilst charging anyway so take that as you will. I'm buying another one as a backup, I like it that much. Great return to this on Russ, it's really a beast of a handheld for a bargain price!

[@mephistophelesknivez]

yeah but wht thw hinge easily cracks, you youtubers should prioritize how durable this handhelds are, you don't talk how wrong the battery sits above the cpu and how poor the quality of the hinge in this unit, don't be bias because you guys are popular, we spend money on this, at least talk about quality control

[@filamBboy]

How easily does the hinge crack? Mine is perfectly fine. Reviews do talk about the battery placement on the device.

[@pogz1279]

hinge cracks for most cases.. thats the reason im hesitant to get this.. also mostcomplains anout their device overheating was this model

[@mephistophelesknivez]

@@filamBboy there's a KZbin video about it ans a reddit post, just a couple of weeks and it crack in the hinge, the youtuber that posted owned an original gba sp and still no issue, he compares it how very low quality the anbernic plastic compared to the original

[@dedpehto]

He has told about battery above cpu on 13:35 . And in previous videos he has mentioned it.

[@stevemelo]

I remember saving up all my money and buying Mortal Kombat 3 for my Sega Genesis. It cost me $90 here in Canada on release day and I was so excited and then immediately disappointed. No Rayden. No Reptile. No Scropion? So yes I can definitely relate to your X-men story lol

[@benpregent]

I agree about how this handheld it makes it so easy to pick up anytime. The clamshell is really what sells it. I use the wifi for syncthing with my other muOS and Android devices and it really brings it to another level.

[@CebolaDeCeroula]

Waiting anxiously for the RG Cube second review!!

[@Lesandira]

I got my SP the other day and I absolutely love it! I wish they had a design like the golden SP for Minish Cap.

[@reggieh6038]

this sytem is amazing. the clicky buttons is what makes it but definitely needs the tape mode to quiet it down a bit.

[@ChenIsMe]

I bought one fairly recently due to videos like this + another. It's all stock settings so far, i'll dip into mu later. But my god, I love it.

[@liamwilliams8258]

The only handheld I have is the Powkiddy X55, and I am very happy with it, even though I know there are much better handhelds, it's allowed me to play games I never got to play, and I can play anywhere for the first time in my life, but, if I didn't have any handhelds at all, I genuinely think I would've bought the SP, even over the Miyoo Mini Plus, I personally feel that this is the perfect compact, pocketable, take anywhere retro gaming handheld. Thanks for making me want to impulse buy this even more now Russ...😁👍🎮

[@TylersNewGroove]

I love the sentiment, but there is no such thing as an objective review! But that’s good! We come to you for YOUR take, because you’re knowledgeable and fair!

[@terryvitanza28]

I have the RG35xxSP and it's really ideal for public transportation and short gaming sessions. That being said, I think the "perfect" handheld would be something like the Odin 2 Mini Pro (much more powerful than the SP) in a small clamshell format. That would be an instant buy for me (if not too expensive of course).

[@damiengrief]

MuOS has always intrigued me. I've stuck with the stock firmware up until now. I don't like having to constantly flash my devices so I haven't even updated the stock firmware at all yet. But I really like the stock OS features like built in overlays and the shortcut to press the power button to enable the d-pad as analog input for Dreamcast and N64 games. It looks like MuOS has made a lot of progress since I last looked at it though.

[@mattwood3157]

I bought a rg35xx SP (already owned a H) ended up selling the H after receiving the SP. Just love it far more. I just find the form factor far nicer to hold. After the button mod the buttons feel far nicer than those on the H. The lid to sleep is just really nice. Overall, it just feels more of a device I "want" to pick up and play. Something about the H just didn't really fit for me. Maybe the form factor. The build quality didn't feel as "good" or "solid" as the SP. Just yeah.... Love it

[@Bushidounohana]

Excellent stuff as always, Russ. Your objectivity is appreciated in reviews, of course, but your subjective experience over time with this device in tandem with your expertise is like the icing on the cake. And to your question of game disappointment-as a fellow 1980 vintage here, the game that always springs to mind is Double Dragon 3 on the NES. Double Dragon II was my favorite beat ‘em up on the system, and I scrimped and saved for an experience that I thought was going to be even better, only to find that the differences in style and gameplay were a total turn-off. While I still keep the game around as a memento, I have yet to play past the opening dojo out of spite.

[@adamcoleman4001]

Thanks for the steady stream of great content bro! I still say the Miyoo Mini+ is the best budget all-around’er. Pocketable AF, plays 32 bit and under no problem and Onion OS transforms it from great to awesome.